Angry Dolphin Terrorizes Waterfront Community

Normally dolphins are pretty friendly creatures, which is why it’s so surprising there’s a seriously ticked off bottlenose terrorizing the residents of an upscale waterfront community in Louisiana. In fact, the animal has already bitten three people swimming in Lake Pontchartrain in Slidell. He sure could learn a lesson or two from this kissing dolphin.

The dolphin apparently made the lake his home sometime after Hurricane Katrina, then stayed behind after the rest of his pod left. And now, because he’s lost his fear of humans over time, the animal is asserting his dominance at anyone who comes near him.

“The dolphin is showing normal male dominance behavior. However, these behaviors are misdirected at people and boats because of people interacting with him,” said Stacey Horstman, an employee of the NOAA Fisheries Service.

For now, the NOAA has no plans to remove the animal, but they suggest that swimmers stay well clear of him. “The most important thing to do is to avoid seeking out the dolphin to play or swim with it,” said Horstman. “If you see the dolphin, leave the water as quickly as possible to avoid any potential interactions.”

But some residents are worried things could turn out badly for lake-goers as well as the animal itself. “Somebody’s going to get bitten by this dolphin, they are going to get mad and they are going to shoot the dolphin,” said an unidentified man. Anyone who has ever seen a ‘Jaws’ movie knows this won’t end well. Perhaps vacationers this summer could use a bigger boat.